The Waiting Game
by Master Jesse
Summary: .:One shot:. Naruto keeps ditching his two closest friends so they have no choice but to spend time with eachother.


Even though the two boys both had voices and bodies that moved they weren't using them. Sasuke was sitting in a chair staring at a door, and Shikamaru was sitting in the window watching clouds as he always did.

They weren't at either on of their houses. They were at Naruto's. They had both come over in hope of filling their boredom with the blond haired boy's company, but he had been called away.

Now they were waiting from him to return. It had been an hour since he had been called away by Iruka-sensei.

"How long is he going to take?" Sasuke asked as he glared at the door. Shikamaru nearly fell out of the window. He had completely forgotten Sasuke was there. He looked over to the Uchiha and realized he hadn't even been talking to him, but rather had been talking to himself.

Sasuke looked over to Shikamaru just as he was returning to the clouds. He looked out the window trying to figure out what the other boy was looking at, but all he could see were the roofs of buildings and the bright blue of the sky.

The door opened and both of the boys turned to it. Naruto stopped just as he stepped in.

"You guys are still here?"

Sasuke glared at him and Shikamaru eyed him with and irritated look. Naruto squirmed under their gazes and shut the door. It had taken him two tries to actually shut the door and not just run away from the animosity in his room.

Naruto walked past them both into his kitchen. He started wiping bowls that were already clean with a towel. He could feel his teammates glare on his back and didn't want to turn around.

"I'm leaving." Shikamaru said. "You two kiss and make up," he added as he passed Sasuke. He knew Naruto hadn't heard that, since the boy paled and looked as if they were both going to attack him and he was going to die right then and there holding a towel with a funny looking cow on it.

"What the hell took you so long?!" Sasuke yelled as soon as the door shut. It was obvious he was mad, and now that they were alone he could show it.

Naruto never got an answer. The angry boy was out the door almost as soon as he had finished his question. The door slammed and Shikamaru turned. "You're going to keep me occupied." Sasuke stated as if the other had no choice, and as his lazy brown eyes looked over him he realized that he didn't. Sasuke was probably as, if not more, persistent than Naruto. He shrugged, deciding that he didn't care, since he was bored too.

The pair walked Sasuke following, even though he was standing next to him, Shikamaru's lead. Sasuke coughed and the Nara boy's eyes flicked to him then where they were going. He shook his head and turned to go into the market and not toward his hill. It was his, and he didn't know Sasuke enough to show him.

They walked, lost in the crowds of people, neither one had said much except the occasional, 'watch out' or 'look at that'. Suddenly Sasuke grabbed Shikamaru's arm and pulled him into an alley.

"Wha-" his question was cut short by a pale hand covering his mouth.

Sakura and Ino walked by and the brunet snickered.

"So you do hide from them," he said when Sasuke removed his hand.

"Yea, they are so..." Sasuke didn't finish. He let his sentence float away. He looked down the street after the girls then sighed and walked out of the alley.

The shorter boy's dark eyes searched the crowds. His obvious distraction was getting on Shikamaru's nerves. So he turned down a hardly used street and left the city. He could find his way to his spot from anywhere in the city, and was amazed that nobody else had found it, several paths ran through it. As they entered the trees Sasuke spoke up.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a secret." A sparkle in Shikamaru's eyes as he turned to Sasuke caused him to shudder slightly. He was quiet after that, and the further they got from the city the more he relaxed.

The path wasn't wide enough for them to walk side by side so Sasuke was left following. He watched the back of Shikamaru's head in mild wonder. It didn't move. His ponytail stuck up and didn't move. Even when branches threatened to yank strands out it didn't move.

A branch, pulled back by Shikamaru as he was walking, was released and Sasuke, being too entranced to notice it whipping back at him, got hit in the face.

"Ow," he howled pushing past the branch after Shikamaru. The lighter haired boy laughed and pointed to his hill which was clear of any branches that may decide to attack. He made his way to the center and sat, his eyes fell on the still standing Sasuke.

"This is it?"

"Yes." Shikamaru dropped his gaze. He seemed embarrassed by Sasuke's disinterest.

Dark eyes circled the area again before their owner shrugged and flopped to the ground. He laid back and looked up at the sky. It was peaceful. So peaceful in fact that he fell asleep.

Shikamaru found himself watching Sasuke as he slept instead of the clouds. He watched until the boy stirred in his sleep, and the horror that he might wake and find him staring caused him to lay back down. The sun was high in the sky and its bright penetrating light burnt his eyes. As he closed his eyes the warmth from the sun and the earth filled him and lulled him to sleep as well.

Sasuke woke up. He sat up at the sound of a creature. He lifted his arm to rub his eyes, but his hand was gripped tightly by a sleeping Shikamaru. Unflinching Sasuke pulled his hand free and rubbed his eyes. He yawned and looked across the open field. His eyes were open, but he wasn't really seeing anything. He was still tired, the tired that comes from sleeping too much, and wanted to go back to sleep.

The sun was setting, they had slept the day away.

Sasuke climbed to his feet and stretched. He looked around and spotted a path, it was hardly noticeable, he walked to it, completely forgetting about the still sleeping boy behind him. He sighed and left.

As the moon climbed into the sky, Shikamaru woke with a jerk. He took off running, his mom was going to kill him.

- - -

Sasuke was leaning against the wall next to Naruto's door. The blond had told him to meet him, but once again had disappeared. Shrugging Sasuke walked down the hallway to the outside. One of these days he was going to kill him.

He let his feet carry him wherever they wanted. He was wondering what Shikamaru was doing when he bumped into someone.

"Hey watch it," Shikamaru grumbled. He turned and saw who had bumped into him. With a smile his moods switched. "Oh... hi."

Sasuke looked away. He could feel, but couldn't explain the blush that was reddening his normally calm face.

"What are you up to today?"

"Nothing," Sasuke replied. The lazy nin grabbed the bag he had dropped and started off. "C'mon."

Sasuke followed him as he walked back to his house. He dropped the bag on the table before walking deeper into the house. "Do you know how to play Shogi?" Sasuke nodded, still not able to find a voice he was sure wouldn't waver. "Good." Shikamaru was always looking for someone new to play. He opened his door and nodded for Sasuke to go in.

As the darker haired boy entered he looked around. There really wasn't much to the room. The only decoration, if it could be called that was the Shogi board in the middle of the room. Shikamaru was sitting on one side and was motioning for Sasuke to do the same when his eyes returned from their journey around the room.

He looked at the board and tried to remember what everything did. He knew Shikamaru was good, or at least that was what Naruto had said. Then again, he would probably have trouble beating a cabbage.

Shikamaru moved a piece. Sasuke did the same without pausing. He looked up at Shikamaru who blinked and stared at the piece he'd just moved. The boys took turns moving their pieces. Sasuke was slowly losing. His head drooped as the final piece was moved driving the knife into his last chance of winning.

"You are almost as bad as Naruto."

Sasuke looked up, insulted. "Really?"

"Yea," Shikamaru studied the board then Sasuke, who shrugged. After finding nothing in Sasuke to explain why he played the way he did the winner leaned back and looked out his window.

"Hey Sasuke? Are you with Naruto?" The question rolled out of Shikamaru without hesitation. It even sounded as if he didn't even care what the answer was. He did though. He didn't know why, but he wanted to know.

Sasuke paled, if that was even possible and looked over at Shikamaru who hadn't turned his gaze from the window.

"No. Why?"

"It just seems like you are."

"Oh."

- - -

Sasuke was waiting. Again. He wasn't waiting on Naruto though. He was waiting on Shikamaru. He was lying in the grass watching the clouds float by. A shadow fell across his eyes. "You should be careful. You look so defenseless. Somebody could attack you."

"If it's you? It's ok," Sasuke said. He grabbed Shikamaru's hand and pulled him down. They laid next to each other, hands locked, watching the clouds and occasionally the other.

- Meanwhile -

"I don't have any friends anymore! I haven't seen Sasuke or Shikamaru in weeks. It's all your fault," Naruto whined.

"You don't have to come here." Iruka said simply.

"But I like your training." Naruto smiled at him.

A/n: Man... I no longer see the word training without thinking of Shinobu Kokoro... It fits perfectly here. (Totally read it... great!)

Review! If you want more I can probably do it... so just ask.


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